South Korea vs Czechia: World Cup group match – teams, start and lineups

Published 11 June 2026 · sports

Asian giants South Korea face two-time runners-up Czechia in the second match of the opening day of World Cup 2026. Who: South Korea vs Czechia

Asian giants South Korea face two-time runners-up Czechia in the second match of the opening day of World Cup 2026. Who: South Korea vs Czechia What: FIFA World Cup 2026 Group A match Where: Estadio Guadalajara, Zapopan, Mexico When: Thursday, 8pm local time (02:00 GMT Friday) How to follow: Keep up with all updates on Al Jazeera Sport South Korea, Asia’s most successful team at the World Cup, begin their 2026 campaign with a game against Czechia, who are back at the tournament after a 20-year absence. With a talented squad featuring Son Heung-min, Lee Kang-in and Kim Min-jae, former semifinalists South Korea – who are ranked 25th in the world – are favourites in the Group A clash and will be keen for an early win in a tough group that also includes cohosts Mexico and South Africa. But 40th-ranked Czechia are no pushovers. With players like Adam Hlozek, Patrik Schick and Pavel Sulc, they are more than capable of pulling off an upset. Son leads South Korea’s charge As always, all eyes will be on South Korea’s superstar Son Heung-min, who now plays his club football for Los Angeles FC. Set for his fourth appearance at the finals, the 33-year-old former Tottenham winger could be appearing in his final tournament, though it’s not confirmed. Fans will be hopeful of the captain featuring on the scoresheet after he scored twice in a recent friendly. The Koreans reached the last 16 in 2022, with Hwang Hee-chan scoring a stoppage-time winner against Portugal to take his team into the knockout rounds.

The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward is now keen for a repeat performance at the upcoming tournament. “If I can have another play like that, it will be great for myself and for our team,” said Hwang, who will be appearing at his third World Cup. “I am working hard for a moment like that. “Every match is important, but the first match is especially so.” Czechia: Two-time runners-up As Czechoslovakia, the Czech team finished runners-up in 1934 and 1962. But since then, their record has been poor, with only four appearances, including just one past the group stage – a quarterfinal run in 1990. The Czechs are now back at the World Cup after 20 long years, having navigated their way to the finals through dramatic penalty shootout wins in the UEFA qualifiers. The appointment of coach Miroslav Koubek in December 2025 turned around their fortunes as they went from having a crisis-hit campaign to finishing the job with flying colours. Now, after two decades, as they return to football’s grandest stage, the Czechs will hope to sneak into the knockouts. With two-metre (6ft 7-inch) Slavia Prague striker Tomas Chory at their disposal, Koubek’s side will seek to impose their physicality on the ⁠South Koreans. They are blessed with more attacking firepower in Bayer Leverkusen striker and Euro 2020 joint top scorer Schick, while Hoffenheim striker Hlozek offers another experienced option up front. Koubek will also lean on West Ham midfielder Tomas Soucek and 35-year-old Vladimir Darida to provide experience and stability.